West Coast Port

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 153, 1 July 1938, Page 5

West Coast Port

JACKSON’S BAY SCHEME GREYMOUTH, June 28. I Tho construction oi the wharf at Jackson’s Bay is proceeding rapidly.' The contractors hove already driven 15 tiers of piles and it should not bo long before .South Westland will be served by an excellent port. J Tho wharf will provide easy access for settlers and a means for advancing the settlement of this sparsely-popu-lated area. It will also allow for the i exportation of the vast timber re- | sources of the district. The Government lighthouse steamer Matai recently visited Jackson’s Bay and placed buoys in position for the safe mooring of vessels. A large punt is being used for construction purposes and experiences no difficulty in riding out tho storms in the bay. The tugboat Waihau has also ridden out the storms for many mouths without inconvenience, which speaks well for the future of this deep sea port. One of the difficuties in the erection of the wharf is in finding bottom, and additional lengths have been grafted in some cases, making the piles about 40ft. in length. A temporary telephone line is being rapidly pushed from Jackson’s Bay to Okuru. This will place Okuru and Haast in touch with the radio transmitting station at Jackson’s Bay. This will prove a boon in cases of emergency, as very frequently the north line is out of commission, especially dtfring 'winter months, when heavy falls of i snow occur on the high country. [ The construction of a new road to ( Jackson’s Bay is progressing satisfacf I torily and it will shortly be possible to \ take a horse and dray over the road to : the flat country more than two miles ! from the port. The new road is about > 10ft. above the storm mark and is perfectly level. When the wharf is completed heavy I machinery can be landed. This will I include a powerful crane for lifting large pieces of stone to be deposited along the foreshore to prevent erosion. A tunnel is being driven into tho hillside on a rocky promontary. Explosives will be fixed in this to bring down sufficient stone for the protection of the foreshore. I Test boring operations for a bridge over the Waiatoto river have been completed and now boring is in progress on the Turnbull and Okuru rivers. . When these streams are bridged the I main access difficulties during flood . I periods will bo eliminated.